Why?
by Hawkslayer
Summary: Harry and Ilya have a dicussion following the aftermath of a case. WARNING: ANTI-RELIGIOUS STATEMENTS CONTAINED WITHIN. DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ. As always, I own nothing.


**This is a very short fic inspired by a discussion I had with a friend of mine. It was basically a discussion of the evils of reigion. As some of you may know, I am an atheist and I greatly dislike organised religion. And I like disorganised religion even less. So:**

**WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS MANY ANTI-RELIGIOUS STATEMENTS, PARAPHRASED QUOTES AND DIRECT QUOTES. IF THIS IS LIKELY TO OFFEND YOU, DO NOT READ THIS AND DO NOT REVIEW EITHER. MOST STATEMENTS AGINST RELIGION ARE BASED ON MY OWN OPINION.**

**WARNING 2: THERE WILL BE SWEARING.**

**Right, if those warnings aren't clear enough, then you're all eejits. Don't bother sending nasty reviews for the hell of it. You'll only reinforce my opinions. If I have any readers left that aren't offended by any of the aforementioned subjects, congratulations on your modern and enlightened attitude and on with the show.**

Harry Pierce and Ilya Gavrik sat in the busy Westminster pub. Both were staring bleakly into their drinks as though the liquid might hold some sense about the recent case. A group of religious fanatics had been setting off incendiary devices in places that they considered sinful. There had been attempts on the lives of high profile atheists and politicians, and bombs placed at abortion clinics. Ilya Gavrik had become involved when it became apparent that some of the perpetrators were Russians, planning to carry out similar crimes in Russia. The case had been concluded, but it had been a pyrrhic victory. The last target of the group had been the car of a gay couple who had led a protest the week previously. The security services and the police hadn't managed to prevent the bomb going off, though the group had all been arrested.

"Why?" Harry asked, of no-one in particular. "How is a mythical figure worth committing that sort of violence?"

Gavrik shook his head. "Religion. Communism got that part right at least. Religion poisons the minds of rational people, makes them believe that they will somehow be rewarded for their faith. They don't need to fear death, because they think that some paradise is waiting for them. And they are all so convinced that their god is the right one. Someone said 'With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.'"

"I don't understand how people can believe something that is so full of contradictions. It's ridiculous. And why do they target people whose only crime is to love someone who is the same sex? Why is that so fucking wrong?"

"I know, Harry. I don't understand either. Religion has been a source of hatred for millennia. But at least that is starting to change. There are far more atheists now than there ever have been before. People are starting to see reason."

Harry sighed. "That doesn't help them, though, does it? Those people were happy, until those fucking bastards massacred them. This country is going the way of the Americans. One nation held in the grip of fanaticism. Ironic that John Adams said that the governance of America should in no way be dictated by religion. And yet religion has a chokehold on their government."

Gavrik chuckled. "Indeed. Russia is going the same way. They want to introduce more strict laws on blasphemy. I despair. Why is it that atheists must respect religious beliefs, but those who are religious may attack atheist arguments with impunity?"

"I think they are afraid that reason and logic might prevail," Harry replied bitterly.

"Quite." Gavrik sighed. "Every single day, people are victims of mindless hatred and horrific crimes all in the name of an imaginary friend, a unified delusion."

Harry shook his head. "It's madness." He sighed and lifted his glass. "To Chris and George."

Gavrik clinked his glass against Harry's. "Chris and George."

_We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes. __**Gene Roddenberry**_

_Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings. __**Victor Stenger**_

_I say quite deliberately that the Christian religion, as organized in its churches, has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. __**Bertrand Russell**_

_By simple common sense I don't believe in God. __**Charlie Chaplin**_

_Those who believe absurdities will commit atrocities. __**Voltaire**_

_We are all atheists about most of the gods society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further. __**Richard Dawkins**_

_With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. __**Steven Weinberg**_

_Be thankful that you have a life, and forsake your vain and presumptuous desire for a second one. __**Richard Dawkins**_

_Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? __**Epicurus**_

For more great quotes, go to the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science's website.


End file.
